Lifestyle Medicine

Lifestyle medicine focuses on changing everyday habits to make positive changes in one’s life. Especially over the last few years, there has been much more of a focus on how our lifestyle directly affects our health. There is good evidence to suggest that changes in lifestyle can help prevent and treat long-term health problems like high blood pressure, prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and weight-related conditions. Sometimes it can even put them into remission!

It focuses on six areas of health:

• Food: Eating mostly whole, plant-based foods like vegetables, fruits, beans, and whole grains, with an emphasis on minimizing processed foods.
• Movement: Finding ways to move your body that you enjoy.
• Sleep: Getting enough good, restful sleep.
• Stress: Learning ways to navigate stress.
• Social connection: Building healthy relationships and support.
• Risky substances: Cutting back on or quitting tobacco, alcohol, and other substances.

Lifestyle medicine does not necessarily replace medications. When you need a prescription, I will still prescribe it, but I will not prescribe something that I do not think you need. Sometimes healthy changes can lower how much medicine you need or even help you stop medication over time.

In addition to my board certification in Family Medicine, I am board certified in Lifestyle Medicine by the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine as one of about 10,000 physicians (as of 2026) who passed a board exam and completed extra training in helping people use everyday habits to prevent and treat disease. I keep my certification current through ongoing education.

I also follow a plant-based lifestyle myself, which gives me firsthand insight when helping patients navigate nutrition and lifestyle changes whether you're plant-curious, fully plant-based, or just looking to make a few shifts in what fuels you.

Lifestyle medicine principles are at the heart of how I practice, so they are part of every care plan I make. At your first visit, we talk about what matters most to you, like food, sleep, movement, stress, and the people in your life. Together, we pick one or two goals to start. At follow-up visits, we check in about how it’s going and adjust the plan as needed. We will either meet in person or by video depending on your care plan, and you can message me between visits. Most people check in every 4 to 12 weeks while working on a goal.

Lifestyle medicine is included in your direct primary care membership. It is built into your visits, not billed as an add-on.

To support lifestyle improvements, I offer members the option of outside walking/rolling visits. In addition, there are many ideas on the horizon such as group visits, exercise and mindfulness classes, support groups and cooking classes!

If you have any particular interests or programming that you would like to see at Redwood, please get in touch here!

• See what membership includes